I read the letter to the editor by Joseph Zankl and would like to respond. I do understand some of his thoughts, but he should state facts instead of spewing the Republican talking points and hatred. In his letter he states: "...about 85 percent of Americans already have health insurance and they are very happy with what they have."

This may be true but how happy would they be if they lost their jobs, were denied coverage if they have pre-existing conditions and had their care rationed by the insurance companies. The point of revamping the health care system is to provide low cost health care for everyone. The Massachusetts election was not about the health care reforms as set by Congress, but that they didn't go far enough as far as choice. Personally, I would love to see Medicare for all and have true Universal Health Care.

"Health care should not be run by the government."

As Mr. Zankl opened his letter to "my fellow seniors" I would assume that he is a senior. If Mr. Zankl doesn't want health care to be run by the government, then he should refuse Medicare if he is on it and also refuse Social Security because that too is a government run program. How hypocritical some people are when they receive benefits from these and other government run programs and then bitch and moan about government involvement.

"In one year this administration has increased our deficit by more than $3 trillion."

Again another falsehood and Republican/Conservative talking point. George W. Bush left office with a $1.3 trillion deficit and the Obama administration had to face that before he even took office. And that's a fact, not bs like Mr. Zankl is spewing.

"As for global warming, Florida had 28 degrees for almost 2 weeks".

Record-breaking snowstorms are not an indication that global warming is not occurring. In fact, we can expect there may be more heavy snowstorms in regions where it is cold enough to snow, due to the extra moisture global warming has added to the atmosphere--an extra 4% since 1970. Snow is not the same as cold ...and that's a fact.

As I said before, I do understand what Mr. Zankl is saying, but he shouldn't misconstrue the facts. I am just as vocal on certain issues and my feeling is that the current Administration did make some mistakes and that a healthy economy is extremely important. The Current Administration has a lot to do to ease the current tensions, but mistakes or not and even though they do suck at some things, they suck a hell of a lot less than what we went through the last 8 years under George Bush.

As a disabled veteran, I was in harm's way fighting for our freedom. What we are going through has to be solved by everyone getting together and coming up with solid solutions. We can't solve problems by throwing around words like Marxist, Communist, radicals etc. The Obama Administration took over a system that went to hell and at least the financial system has stabilized. I have the utmost respect for the Office of the President of the United States, and whoever is President deserves our respect. Give him a chance.

We are the land of liberty and freedoms, let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.

Richard L. Shultis
Ellenville

The weekly article, Lucy Muller's PET SOUNDS is a wonderful, informative feature in the Shawangunk Journal for people concerned with animal welfare. Her subject February 4, Factory Farming, is a topic most people know very little about. Thus they are unaware of what happens to the animal before it shows up nicely plastic wrapped in the meat department.

In these Mega- Factory farms, animals are not considered beings that experience feelings such as comfort, joy, stress or pain. Theses creatures are mere commodities to the corporations who operate them. Their goal is to produce meat as cheaply as possible to increase their profits with no regard to animal welfare or the welfare of workers in the slaughter houses.

The book, "Eating Animals" by Jonathan Safran Foer is mentioned in Lucy's article, and, yes it is available at the Ellenville Public Library. In his book he notes, factory farming has become a systematic abuse of animals unknown in world history, contract cruelty and contract killing of animals for a product no one needs, meat. He also quotes Nobel Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer who argued that animal rights was the purest form of social- justice advocacy because animals are the most vulnerable of all the down trodden.

We can become animal advocates by looking into this horrific industry and then let the information determine the corporations you will do business with.

Phyllis Lennert
Ellenville